Apparatus for curing meat.



. Patented my 22, |902. .1. c. LINCOLN.

APPARATUS FOR CURING MEAT.

(Appliatiun led Dec. 20, 1901.)

(No llode'l.)

` me Norms persas cn, mom-umn, WASHINGTON, Dv c.

UNTED STATES,

JOHN C: LINCOLN, OF CLEVELAND,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO B. B. QUINN, OF

CLEVELAND, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR CURVI'NG MEAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .Patent N o. 705,367, dated July 22, 1902.

Application led December 20, 1901. SerialITo. 56,'664. (No model.)

To all whore@ it may concern/:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. LINCOLN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have inventeda certain new and .useful Improvement in Apparatus for Curing Meat, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an apparatus for curing meats and the like with the assistance of a current of electricity, which is known to very materially hasten the desired result.

The object of this invention isto prevent injury to the meatby the chlorin gas generated by the electrolytic action from the brine and also to carry away such gas in order that the workmen in charge of the apparatus may, without danger or discomfort, inspect the tank and its contents.

The invention maybe said to consist of the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, as pointed out definitely in the claims. e

In the drawings, Figurel is a plan view of an apparatus, which includes my improvement, for curing meat in the manner referred to; and Fig. 2 is a sectional end view of that end of the tank which contains the positive electrodes. v i

vReferring to the parts by letters, A represents a tank of suitable size, preferablymade of wood, and having an open'top, which'permits the inspection and manipulation ofthe meat therein, urging' the curing process? Brine is preferably used asthe lcuring solution, and the process is shortened and rendered more efticientif the brine is caused to circulate through the tank by means of a pump B, which discharges the brine into one end of the tank through the pipe band draws it through a pipe b from a supplemental tank C, into which the brine is discharged from the main tank A through the discharge-pipe d.

In the tank A, at opposite ends thereof, are porous cups D,containing the electrodes E E', which are preferably made of graphite. The

positive electrodes E are` connected together and to one pole of a generator F, while the negative electrodes E are similarly connected together and to the other pole of said generator.

G represents a substantially gas-tight box, openonly at itsbottom, whichV is of such size `that when insertedjnto the tank with its open side down and with its lower edges dipping below the surface of the brine this box will inclose the upper ends of the positive elecare contained. Two pipes'glg are connected with this box, the pipe g being the outletpipe,which is extended so as to discharge into the open air outside of the building in which the tankiis contained. A forced circulation of airth'rough this box is necessary, and this is produced most efficiently by connecting a fan-blower I-I with the inlet-pipe g.

The meatto be cured having been put into a tank and covered with brine and the described electrical connections having been made and described mechanism set in operation, preferably using an electric current of about thirty am peres, chlorin gas will be produced bythe electrolytic action on the brine 'at'thepositive electrodes E in the porous cups. This gas rising is caught in the box G,.whoselower end is sealed by being immersedin the brine, and this chlorin gas, which, iffnot Acarried away, would not only contaminate the brine and burn the meat, but it would make it impossible for workmen to enter the same room with the tank for the lpurpose of inspecting and manipulating the meat in'thetank, is blown out through the discharge-pipe g by the operation of the blower This 'box may be supported by straps K, attached tothe ends of the box and having their upper ends 'bent outward, so as to rest upon thejtop edges of the tank A. These straps have, preferably, vertical slots 7c,

`the'straps to the box. This permits the adjustment of the box in the tank so that its mersion of the edgesl of the boxinto the brine whatever, within limits, may be the distance of the surface ofthe brine below the top of the tank A.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In an apparatus for curing meat, the com'- trodes E and the porous cups in which they through-which pass the bolts k', which attach lower open side may .be sealedby the im- I IOO bination of a tank containing a brine curing solution, negative electrodes immersed in the brine at one end of the tank and suitably connected with one pole of an electric generator, positive electrodes immersed in the brine near the opposite end of the tank and suitably connected with the other pole of the generator, with a gas-tight box open at its lower side which is placed over the upper ends of said positive electrodes with its lower edge immersed in the brine and thereby sealed, inlet and outlet pipes connected with said box, and means for creating a forced circulation of air through said box.

2. In an apparatus forcuring meat, the combination of a tank, negative electrodes immersed in the brine at one end of the tank and suitably connected with one pole of an electric generator, porous cups immersed in the brine at the other end of the tank, and positive electrodes in said porous cu ps electrically connected with the other pole of the generator, with a gas-tight box open on its lower side which is placed over the upper ends of said positive electrodes and the porous cups in which they are contained with its lowel` edges immersed in the brine and thereby sealed, inlet and outlet pipes connected with said box, and means for creating a forced circulation of air through said box.

3. In an apparatus for curing meat, a tank having inlet and outlet pipes by means of which the brine may be caused to circulate through said tank, negative electrodes immersed in the brine at one end of the tank and suitably connected with one pole of an electric generator, porous oups in the other end of the tank, positive electrodes in said porous cups, electrically connected with the other pole of the generator, and a gas-tight box open on its lower side placed over the upper ends of said positive electrodes and the porous cups in which they are contained and having its edges immersed in the brine and thereby sealed, inlet and outlet pipes connected with said box and a blower connected with the inlet-pipe.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. LINCOLN.

Witnesses:

' E. B. GILCHRIST, E. L. THURsToN. 

